Prater > Bass

[Warriorspikes51]

1 hour ago, balln said:

Question. If they activate tyler bass from IR / can they put him on practice squad ? If hes claimed - the new team would take his contract? There were was a flurry of roster moves in the 2 weeks before week 1 - not sure if this is feasible?

 

Good question, I think Bass would be waived before making the PS  so he could be claimed?

Prater will need to be added to the Roster or he could be poached

[Simon]

Just a question for folks who were there last night.

Was it windy in the stadium?

[Scott7975]

I was the first on this board to bring up Bass having problems. Everyone rolled their eyes at me saying he's fine. I've been critical of him ever since. Thought he mostly  redeemed himself last year.

 

This is a tough situation or will be if Bass gets healthy after that 4 week window. Id rather see how Prater does in bad weather. Id rather see how his leg holds up over the course, but we aren't going to see that in the next 3 weeks. Potentially the weather thing. I'd rather not take a cap hit for a guy that may still be a good kicker when healthy for a guy that is probably on his last season. I'm certainly not going to judge a kicker based on week one just because he made a few easy field goals. He did hit a 52 yarder and IIRC they were all pretty much dead center though so it's a good start. We never know how an older player is going to hold up for an entire season though.

 

Tough call. Glad I'm not the one that has to make it.

[BigDingus]

I mean, Bass was good in the playoffs last year.

 

6 for 6 on FGs.

7 for 7 on XPs.

 

Made 2 x 50+ yard FGs. He also hit a 61 yard game winner against Miami in the regular season, so I'm not ready to give up on Bass just yet.

 

Yes, we need someone who can hit the "easy" kicks. But Bass should have a bit of an advantage, as he's used to kicking in Buffalo after all these years.

 

He's also only played 5 seasons at this point. Compare that to Prater who's played 20 already. I get that you're only advocating for this season, but I'd still want to give Bass a chance unless Prater is absolutely killing it.

[zevo]

prater just seems like a likable dude. hope he sticks. sry bass

[buffblue]

45 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

I was the first on this board to bring up Bass having problems. Everyone rolled their eyes at me saying he's fine. I've been critical of him ever since. Thought he mostly  redeemed himself last year.

 

This is a tough situation or will be if Bass gets healthy after that 4 week window. Id rather see how Prater does in bad weather. Id rather see how his leg holds up over the course, but we aren't going to see that in the next 3 weeks. Potentially the weather thing. I'd rather not take a cap hit for a guy that may still be a good kicker when healthy for a guy that is probably on his last season. I'm certainly not going to judge a kicker based on week one just because he made a few easy field goals. He did hit a 52 yarder and IIRC they were all pretty much dead center though so it's a good start. We never know how an older player is going to hold up for an entire season though.

 

Tough call. Glad I'm not the one that has to make it.

I look at it in terms of reliability for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. You can clearly see that Prater (and most kickers in the league for that matter) strike the ball straighter and cleaner than Bass. It's a big advantage to have someone who you know is going to put the ball through the uprights with accuracy. People talk about Bass' percentage, which is mediocre, but even many of the kicks that he makes are near misses. I'm not messing around with this situation, regardless of if Prater's leg has diminished or the range becomes shorter when the weather turns. Bass was lucky to still have a job with the Bills, so it's not like he is owed anything or that this would be a Wally Pipp situation. The Bills would be crazy to go back to him imo.

[Just Jack]

5 hours ago, Simon said:

Just a question for folks who were there last night.

Was it windy in the stadium?

 

I don't think so. 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 9 by Just Jack

[Billsfed1]

Prater you want around for sure, but last night hearing the commentators say his max was 53 pregame….no thanks.  

 

There’s a spot for him, but a huge game for us probably at some point requires a 55-65 yard kick, i’ll give Bass the nod as long as he’s healthy

Edited September 9 by Billsfed1

[SectionC3]

8 hours ago, Billsfed1 said:

Prater you want around for sure, but last night hearing the commentators say his max was 53 pregame….no thanks.  

 

There’s a spot for him, but a huge game for us probably at some point requires a 55-65 yard kick, i’ll give Bass the nod as long as he’s healthy

53 is as far as he hit from, as I understand it, rather than a max.  Kickers test their distance warming up so they can say they're comfortable from a given length.  I didn't see warmups, so I can't say if Prater was short from, say, 55.  But typically they don't try too much beyond 53-55, at least in the hour before the game.  For instance, that 60 yarder Bass hit against the Dolphins last year? Wing and a prayer.  I don't recall him testing it during warmups.  He wasn't short from a given distance, but nobody knew if he could hit it from 60.